BOX SCORE

BROWNWOOD, Texas -- Senior #Micah Runnels# tied the American Southwest Conference single-game record with six hits while leading the Concordia University Texas baseball team to a 26-6 drubbing of Howard Payne on Friday afternoon at Don Shepard Park.

Runnels finished the game by going 6-for-6 at the plate with six runs batted in and two runs scored.  Runnels became the sixth player in ASC history to record six hits in a contest.  Concordia (7-9, 1-0 ASC) posted 27 hits in the win, which is the second most in program history.

Howard Payne (8-7, 0-1 ASC) took the early lead as Kyle Lloyd hit a lead off home run in the bottom of the first inning.  The Tornados answered with five runs in the top of the second.  CTX tacked on three more in the third inning.  After the Yellow Jackets scored three in the bottom of the third, cutting CTX's lead to 8-4, the Tornados plated two fourth-inning runs.  Concordia wasn't finished as the Tornados erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning and five in the seventh to take a 22-4 lead.

Howard Payne would score one run in each of the last two innings and the Tornados would score one in the eighth and three in the ninth to cap off the scoring outburst.

#Alec Carter# hit his first home run of the season in the win.  #Russell Johns# went 4-for-6 on the day with two RBI and two runs scored.  #Michael Bogard# was 3-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored and three runs driven in. 

#Ben Whiteley# (1-1) earned the win on the mound, pitching eight innings and giving up six hits and five runs.  Whiteley struck out seven and walked two batters.

Both teams will square off again on Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at noon at Don Shepard Park.